Coordination conference: Construction of roads, daily PIA flights for Chitral demanded

CHITRAL: The participants of a coordination conference on Tuesday called for launching work on the Garam Chashma, Shandoor, Kalash valleys and Chakdarra-Chitral roads.

Commandant of Chitral Scouts Colonel Moeenudin chaired the coordination conference where elected representatives, religio-political leaders and government officials discussed a number of issues faced by the people of the district. They suggested ways to have them solved.

Member National Assembly Maulana Abdul Akbar Chitrali, District Nazim Mafghirat Shah, District Police Officer Muhammad Furqan Bilal, Chitral Assistant Commissioner Alamgir Khan, Drosh Assistant Commissioner Abdul Wali Khan, Mastuj Assistant Commissioner Inayatullah Khan and others attended the conference.

The commandant said the event was aimed at bringing closer public representatives, government officials and the masses to find out a solution to people problems and keep Chitral peaceful and prepare a line of action for the future and develop the area.

The official said every sacrifice would be offered by the army and Chitral Scouts to protect the area. He said there was a need to take the benefits of a peaceful environment to the masses.

The Chitral Scouts commandant said on the orders of the Chief of the Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa a total of 30 projects had been launched in the far-off areas of Chitral. He said 73 per cent work on these schemes had been completed.

Colonel Moeenudin said the projects include repair of six bridges, as many schools, water supply schemes, hospitals, dispensaries and a polo ground.

The official said free-medical camps were being arranged and free medicines distributed keeping in view the less-development of the Chitral district.“Food and cloth distribution is done at the schools in an effort to end the lack of protein in kids. Free ration is given to the poor,” he explained.

He said training sessions were being organised at the educational institutions and sports activities arranged to groom the students. The participants praised the army for fight on terror and helping the people during natural disasters.

They demanded daily Pakistan International Airlines flights to Chitral. Power overbilling was criticised and measures stressed to end the practice. Mastuj Assistant Commissioner Inayatullah complained that Upper Chitral was being ignored in the development schemes.

He said the Deoser bridge in Yarkhoon Union Council had been washed away several months ago.

“I had brought this issue into the notice of the officials concerned but the structure is yet to be constructed,” he went on to add. The official complained about the electricity problem in the Upper Chitral despite the fact that 106-megawatt electricity was being produced in Chitral.